Process of effecting chemical reductions and producing metals and alloys.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

FREDERICK M. BECKET, or NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ELEOTRO METALLURGICAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF EFFECTING CHEMICAL RE DU CTIONS AND PRODUCING METALS AND ALLOYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed April 12. 1907. Serial Nfl- 367,723.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, Fnnnnnrox M. BEOKET, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Eflecting Chemical Reductions and Producing Metals or Alloys, of which the following is a specification.

This process is especially designed for the reduction of metallic oxids, such as those of vanadium, molybdenum, titanium and tungsten. i

The process. involves reduction in two stages, in the first of which partial reduction, specifically from a higher to a lower state of oxidation, is efiectedby a non-metallic reagent, such as carbon, hydro en, carbon -monoxid or a hydrocarbon; an further reduction, specifically to a metal, by silicon carbid. i

For the purpose of illustration, the production of ferro-vanadium will be described. An

- oxid ore of vanadium or an ore which has been treated to convert the vanadium to the oxidized state, or a concentrate from such ores, intimately mixed with carbon in amount sufiicient to effect reduction of vanadic oxid to vanadous oxid and of any ferric oxid that may be present to ferrous oxid, is heated in a combustion or electric furnace to the moderate temperature re uired for the partial reduction of these Oxide.

An example of the reducing action of carbon on vanadic oxid may be expressed by the reaction:

V,,O 2C.= V,O 200.

The material containing the partially reduced vanadium oxid is then mixed with silicon carbid and smelted, preferably in an electric furnace, at. the temperature neces- V 0 V2 OO- i Gaseous reducing agents ma be efficiently l I employed in the first stage of t e process, the

reduction from a higher to a lower state of oxidation, producer-gas and water-gas being particularly advantageous for the purpose.

By this process, partial reduction of metallic oxids is effected by means of relatively inexpensive non-metallic reducing a ents and the final or complete reduction is e ected by a relatively small amount of silicon carbid.

I claim:

1. The process of effecting chemical reductions, which consists in effecting partial reduction by a non-metallic reagent and further reduction by silicon carbid.

2. The process of reducing oxide, which consists in effecting partial reduction by a relatively-oxidizable nonmetal and further reduction by silicon carbid.

3. The process of reducin oxids, which consists in effectin partial re uction by carbon and further reduction by silicon carbid.

4. The process of reduci vanadic oxid, which consists in efiecting re rluction to vanadous oxid by a non-metallic reagent and reduction to vanadium by silicon carbid.

5. The process of reduci vanadic oxid, which consists in efiecti re uction to vanadous oxid by carbon an reduction to vanadium by silicon carbid.

6. The rocess of reducing refractory metallic oxi s, which consists in effecting partial reduction by electrically smelting a mixture of the oxid and carbon, and effecting complete reduction of the product by silicon carbid.

7. The rocess of reducing refractory metallic oxid which consists in effecting partial reduction by electrically smelting a mixture of the oxid and carbon, and effecting complete reduction of the product by silicon carbid and electrically-supplied heat.

8. The rocess of effecting chemical reductions, which consists in eflecting partial reduction by a non-metallic reagent and further reduction by silicon carbid, and electrically supplying heat for both reductions.

' In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK M. BECKET.

Witnesses:

P. A. Mosnnn, J. N. DEINHARDT. 

